Exodus 32 13

Exodus 32:13 kjv

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

Exodus 32:13 nkjv

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.' "

Exodus 32:13 niv

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.'?"

Exodus 32:13 esv

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'"

Exodus 32:13 nlt

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.'"

Exodus 32 verses

Exodus 32 13 Meaning

Exodus 32:13 records Moses's appeal to God to spare the people of Israel after their sin of worshipping the golden calf. The verse emphasizes God's specific and solemn oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, promising them countless descendants and the land of Canaan forever. Moses reminds God of His character as a covenant-keeping God, particularly invoking the unconditional promises made through His unchangeable oath sworn by Himself. This serves as a plea for God to act consistently with His divine attributes and prior commitments, ensuring His name and reputation remain steadfast among the nations.

Exodus 32 13 Context

Exodus 32:13 is spoken during one of the most critical moments in Israel's early history after their liberation from Egypt. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from God, the Israelites, led by Aaron, rebelled against God by constructing and worshipping a golden calf, claiming it was their god who brought them out of Egypt. This act directly violated the first two commandments received, highlighting the people's swift disobedience and unfaithfulness. God expressed His fierce anger and intention to destroy the nation and make a new one through Moses. This verse is part of Moses's fervent intercessory prayer (Exod 32:11-13) to God, appealing for the people's survival. He first reminded God of His own reputation among the nations, and then, in verse 13, he anchored his plea on the unbreakable covenant and oath God had previously made with the patriarchs. The cultural context underscores the ever-present temptation of idolatry among ancient Near Eastern peoples, contrasting the transient nature of human worship with the eternal reliability of God's covenant promises.

Exodus 32 13 Word analysis

• Remember (זָכַר - zakar): More than just recall, zakar here implies active remembrance leading to action. Moses is not asking God to recall something forgotten, but to act in accordance with what He already knows and has promised. It’s an appeal to God’s steadfast faithfulness and consistency.
• Abraham, Isaac, and Israel: These are the three patriarchs through whom God initiated His covenant. By invoking their names, Moses highlights the historical depth and continuity of God's promises. "Israel" here refers to Jacob, whose name God changed, signifying the nation's spiritual lineage and identity.
• Your servants (עֲבָדֶיךָ - avadeykha): This term denotes not merely servitude but devotion and faithful allegiance. It implies a righteous relationship, though it contrasts sharply with the current unfaithfulness of the generation standing before God. It subtly reminds God of the obedient foundation upon which the covenant was laid.
• To whom you swore by your own self (נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ בִּי - nishba'ta bi): This is a crucial element. When God swears by Himself, it is the most binding and unalterable oath possible, because there is no one greater for Him to swear by (Heb 6:13). It underscores the absolute certainty and unconditionality of the promise. It is an appeal to God's integrity and absolute reliability.
• And said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring (הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה - harbah arbeh): This is an emphatic Hebrew construction meaning "I will surely multiply" or "I will greatly multiply." It stresses the certainty and vastness of the promised numerous descendants.
• As the stars of heaven: This is a recurring metaphorical image in Genesis (Gen 15:5, Gen 22:17) signifying an unimaginably large number, uncountable and widespread. It highlights the cosmic scope of God's promise to build a great nation.
• And all this land that I have spoken of: Refers to the land of Canaan, which was specifically promised to Abraham and his descendants. Moses anchors the plea to the concrete, tangible promise of a specific territory.
• I will give to your offspring: Reinforces the divine proprietorship and ultimate giver of the land. It emphasizes that the land is a gift, part of God’s covenantal commitment.
• And they shall inherit it forever (לְעוֹלָם - l'olam): "Forever" signifies an enduring possession. This speaks to the permanence of the covenant and the lasting legacy intended for Abraham's descendants. It reinforces the unconditional nature of God’s ultimate design.

Exodus 32 13 Bonus section

• Moses's appeal in this verse represents an audacious yet reverent prayer, where he argues with God based on God's own revealed character and promises. This approach to prayer is a powerful model for believers.
• The "stars of heaven" imagery for offspring would have contrasted starkly with the present reality of Israel seemingly on the verge of annihilation. Moses’s faith rested in God’s ultimate power to bring about what He promised, despite dire circumstances.
• This passage highlights the tension between God’s conditional covenant with Israel at Sinai (which they broke) and His unconditional covenant with Abraham (which He would not break). Moses's intercession bridges this gap, showing God's continued faithfulness to His greater, foundational promises.
• The incident of the golden calf, followed by Moses’s intercession, prefigures the greater intercession of Jesus Christ, who acts as the ultimate mediator for believers, presenting the merits of His own sacrifice and the Father's unchanging plan of salvation.

Exodus 32 13 Commentary

Exodus 32:13 serves as a profound example of intercessory prayer, demonstrating Moses’s understanding of God’s character and covenant faithfulness. Faced with God's righteous wrath against Israel's idolatry, Moses does not appeal to the people’s merits, for they had none, but solely to God's own prior commitments and unchangeable nature. By reminding God of His solemn oath sworn by Himself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – promising innumerable descendants and perpetual inheritance of the land – Moses effectively ties God's present disposition towards Israel to His past divine integrity. The argument implicitly suggests that to destroy the nation would not only diminish God's reputation among the surrounding nations but also call into question the very reliability of His absolute word and covenant oath. It is a powerful reminder that while God's justice demands judgment for sin, His covenant love and faithfulness, anchored in His unchangeable self, can lead to relenting, not as a change in His immutable will but in His temporal actions toward humanity based on intercession and an adherence to His prior solemn word.